NEWS: Translation Error gets CNN banned in Iran

Iran has banned CNN from its country, after CNN misqouted Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad. CNN mistakingly stated quoted the President as saying "Iran has the right to build nuclear weapons" when what was actually said was " the country has the right to nuclear power and doesn't need atomic weapons". Iran issued a statement saying that CNN would be banned from the country, indefinitly.



While I believe this to be an honest mistake on CNNs part, it is a HUGE one, nonetheless. Mistakes like this, at this time could be grounds for war. With the recent problems of faulty intelligence, I think the news organizations in this country had better check, then recheck anything they are about to post as "news".

The Arabic dialect can be difficult and mistakes are going to happen, but there needs to be a better system in place to ensure that the mistakes aren't broadcast as news.

I take Iran's side on this issue. I think it is understandable that they want CNN out. With tension as high as it is, more erroneous stories are not needed. Plus, if they did nothing, the story would never see the light of day. Then when the day comes that we argueing our cause for a war with them, it could be used as grounds. The news organizations have a huge responsiblity to "get it right". They messed up.

Related News Links:
www.upi.com

He, he, I wonder how many other "Translations mistake" has been out there.

I guess when it comes to middle east countries interpretations get "Lost in translations"

Theres no doubt this is a very huge mistake in translation, but was it an honest accident is the real question to ask. Either way, its probably good for Iran that they caught the mistake before it was blabbed all over CNN, unless it already has been. If it has I'm sure theres a few people out there that think Iran has said that and will never know other wise.

And I'm sure that someone will undoubtedly will use it a few years from now as a means to justify some sort of invasion. I'm sure it was an honest mistake, but people in CNNs position do not have the luxury of making "mistakes" especially in this regard.

They're already back on the air...
www.msnbc.msn.com...

Iran tends to ban any media organization that they disagree with or apparently have any problem with now.

The same thing happened to the National Geographic Society when they published an alternate name "Arabian Gulf" on maps under "Persian Gulf"

[edit on 1/17/2006 by djohnsto77]

One thing to point out, too. This came from Iran's Culture and Islamic Guidance Ministry. It did not come from the President.

In fact:

Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad has asked that a ban on CNN journalists in Iran be lifted and that the network be allowed to continue working in the country, according to a report by the official Iranian news agency IRNA early Tuesday.

www.cnn.com...

Also, these kind of mistakes are MUCH more common (and usually MUCH funnier) than one would hope. Sadly, we live in an age where the field of journalism generally does not regard accuracy as the paramount goal in its efforts.

djohnston.... big difference between that and the word "weapons" wouldnt ya say? At this point in the "standoff" with the rest of the world, one little war can start a war... "WMDs" anyone?

One would think that there would be translations prepared and 'handed out' to visiting journalists and western news agencies.....that way there would be less possibility of being misunderstood. Especially when the atmosphere surrounding the subject is already well know to be so highly charged.......

Translations are always a little shaky, but not to this magnitude. It's hard to find good help these days. CNN should have cross-checked this before releasing it.

CNN should be banned period, I am so jealous!


imbeciles :shk:

do any of you realise how similar weapons and energy are in farsi? after looking myself i can see how easy such a mistake could be to an english speaker.

I had a suspicion that Ahmadinejad was being misquoted in quite a number of things he is supposed to of said. For example, "Israel should be wiped off the map" is using a very colloquial English phrase. In English the phrase implies violent destruction, whereas a literal interpretation of the words would imply that the borders would be removed from maps.

Now considering that the President was speaking in Farsi, not English, and if he used words that espoused a view that he thinks Israel should be violently destroyed (wiped of the map) then wouldn't a more literal "Israel should be violently destroyed" translation of been more indicative of his motives?

Now in light of this glaring and extremely clumsy translation error which changed what Ahmadinejad said from being innocuous and supporting the peaceful nature of the Iranian nuclear program to that of a belligerent and defiant nuke monger, it isn't too hard to imagine that he is being purposely mistranslated elsewhere to paint a false picture of him.

Originally posted by subz
I had a suspicion that Ahmadinejad was being misquoted in quite a number of things he is supposed to of said. For example, "Israel should be wiped off the map" is using a very colloquial English phrase.
............

Please subz...don't try to use this to claim you know for certain that Iran is just trying to have a peaceful energy program.... or that all the other phrases that have been translated from the Iranian president were misinterpreted... One mistake doesn't mean "all translation were mistakes."

If they were mistakes the Iranian regime would have been all over this and would have "banned" other news agencies.



[edit on 18-1-2006 by Muaddib]

While I really hate agreeing with Muaddip, I have to this time with this cavet; considering all the misinformation that has been foisted on this country in the lead up to George's spendid little war, and considering how seriously the media (in this country) is in the pocket of the right wing (dispite their liberal media bias smoke screen), I have to consider whether this is not another of their bits of misimformation that got caught.

Originally posted by subz
I had a suspicion that Ahmadinejad was being misquoted in quite a number of things he is supposed to of said. For example, "Israel should be wiped off the map" is using a very colloquial English phrase. In English the phrase implies violent destruction, whereas a literal interpretation of the words would imply that the borders would be removed from maps.

Oh you did, did you. I wasn't aware that you speak Farsi or even have a basic knowledge of it.
So in actual fact what you state above is basically guesswork on your part with no basis on fact.

Is there any ties between the CIA and CNN?

Maybe the president of Iran is looking out for spies, and this screw-up allowed a diplomatic way to get CNN and its spies out of there.

Just a thought� (been watching spy movies lately)

Originally posted by mad scientist
Oh you did, did you. I wasn't aware that you speak Farsi or even have a basic knowledge of it.
So in actual fact what you state above is basically guesswork on your part with no basis on fact.

If you have the real texts of what was said, I am more than game to ask someone at College to translate them for us here?

Originally posted by subz
For example, "Israel should be wiped off the map" is using a very colloquial English phrase. In English the phrase implies violent destruction, whereas a literal interpretation of the words would imply that the borders would be removed from maps.

Oh dear... I think you should look up other statements the guy made in that vein and then come back with that argument. Was "Anybody who recognizes Israel will burn in the fire of the Islamic nation's fury" mistranslated also. Gimme a break subz... sidetracking a news post is rude enough, but sidetracking a news post while insulting the readers' intelligence is rude in spades.

I know what the Problem was here - the Speech was Live and you can not "Translate" it however you want to Tailor your Story.

They got caught this time - but what about all the times, they presented the translations of so-called Terror Threat Tapes; how can we know that they REALLY Translated whatever was said on them?

If CNN does it - so do the Other News Networks.

And its pretty Easy, for not alot of people really speak arabic in Western World, so nobody really knows what the hell are they Talking!

Perfect Set for some good old Dissinformation Techniques to be applied.